How do I Adapt a Grinder Into a Jamb Saw?

A 4-inch hand-held angle grinder is a versatile tool that can perform a variety of tasks, from cutting through metal and stone to doubling as a jam saw for cutting through door trim. It can prove useful in cases wherein you only have a couple of door jams to cut and the cost of an actual jamb saw is prohibitive given the size of the project. While angle grinders come in a number of brands, the style of grinder remains irrelevant so long as you follow a few simple steps to cut the jambs.

Things You'll Need

Flooring material

Scraps of 1/8-inch-thick cardboard

4-inch angle grinder and accessories

Safety glasses

Gloves

Dust mask

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Slide your flooring material (for example, tile, vinyl or carpet with padding) alongside the door jamb. Add a piece of 1/8-inch-thick cardboard to represent additional thickness that you will put in place with the use of any glue, mastic or thin-set mortar used to stick the flooring material in place. Mark the doorjamb with the pencil, with the flooring material and cardboard in place as a guide.

Remove the guard for the grinder with the accessory tools it included. Loosen the blade to remove it, then loosen the mounting brackets for the guard and slide it off the end of the grinder. Replace the blade, then tighten it using the tools.

Put on your safety glasses, dust mask and gloves. Grip the 4-inch grinder firmly in both hands, and turn it on. Ease the grinder blade into the doorjamb along your pencil line, and cut slowly. Avoid moving quickly, which can cause the grinder to kick back against the force of the wheel as it cuts; take your time to make a smooth, clean cut.

Remove the excess piece of trim, and install your flooring material.

Tips & Warnings

Purchase or rent all materials and tools from your local home improvement store.